2026 Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in California
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in materials engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Materials Engineering Schools
For return on investment in materials engineering, no school beat University Of California San Diego this year. University Of California San Diego is a very large public school located in the city of La Jolla. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,788, while out-of-state students pay about $47,676. Typical student debt for materials engineering graduates is $17,101. Early-career materials engineering graduates make about $60,797. Set against $17,101 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 27%.
Stanford University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value materials engineering schools. Stanford University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Stanford. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $65,910. Materials Engineering graduates carry a median of $10,492 in student loans. Materials Engineering graduates of Stanford University earn a median of $100,827 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 4%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of California Merced earned it the #3 place for materials engineering. Set in the suburb of Merced, University Of California Merced is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $14,653, with out-of-state students paying around $46,541. Students borrow a median of $18,318 to complete the materials engineering program here. Materials Engineering graduates of University Of California Merced earn a median of $42,071 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of California Merced admits about 90% of applicants.
University Of California Irvine came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value materials engineering schools. Located in the city of Irvine, University Of California Irvine is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $14,752 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $46,640. Materials Engineering graduates carry a median of $9,987 in student loans. Early-career materials engineering graduates make about $58,177. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of California Irvine admits about 29% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of California Riverside earned it the #5 place for materials engineering. Set in the city of Riverside, University Of California Riverside is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,636, while out-of-state students pay about $46,524. Materials Engineering graduates carry a median of $19,187 in student loans. Early-career materials engineering graduates make about $111,998. Set against $19,187 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 76%.
San Jose State University placed #6 among the best values for materials engineering. San Jose State University is a very large public school located in the city of San Jose. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,410, while out-of-state students pay about $21,010. Graduates go on to earn a median of $78,988 ten years after entry. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
University Of California Los Angeles earned the #7 position for value in materials engineering this year. Located in the city of Los Angeles, University Of California Los Angeles is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,233, compared with $46,121 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $16,097 to complete the materials engineering program here. Early-career materials engineering graduates make about $98,154. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of California Los Angeles admits about 9% of applicants.
University Of California Davis landed the #8 spot for materials engineering value this year. University Of California Davis is a very large public school located in the suburb of Davis. In-state tuition and fees average $15,804, with out-of-state students paying around $47,692. Materials Engineering graduates carry a median of $18,777 in student loans. Early-career materials engineering graduates make about $74,110. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 42%.
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo landed the #9 spot for materials engineering value this year. Set in the suburb of San Luis Obispo, California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,161, compared with $33,230 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $17,000 to complete the materials engineering program here. Materials Engineering graduates of California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn a median of $74,496 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo admits about 31% of applicants.
California Institute Of Technology earned the #10 position for value in materials engineering this year. Set in the city of Pasadena, California Institute Of Technology is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $65,898. Early-career materials engineering graduates make about $173,344. Roughly 3% of applicants are accepted.
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 14 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 9 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
[Materials Engineering](/majors/engineering/materials-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong materials engineering education at a price that pays off.
